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Mediation needed and fulfilled

By Pastor Jeff Alexander

Posted:
02/05/2013 09:47:39 AM MST

I srael's tabernacle gave tangible, material expression to God's presence with His covenant "son."

However, a problem existed; the Lord's desire to dwell with Israel did not negate the distance separating God and mankind caused by Adam's independence and disobedience in the fall. God remained at an unapproachable distance. Thus, any relationship with humans had to be mediated by someone qualified by God to bridge that distance.

At the exodus from Egypt, God appointed Moses as His mediator (Exodus 20:18- 21; Deuteronomy 18:15-18); but the appointment was necessarily temporary due to the limitation of Moses' life. A system of mediation was needed for future generations. This system (priesthood) fell to the tribe of Levi and particularly to Aaron and his descendants (Numbers 3:6-8). In fact, the very nature of the covenant (the Ten Words) assumed the necessity of a priesthood to enable its function (Hebrews 7:11).

This implementation of the priesthood must not be seen as the result of Israel's sin of worshipping the golden calf, breaking the covenant. God's instruction to Moses came before that event. Approach to God could not be achieved because sin separated Him from His image bearer (Exodus 29:43-46). Therefore, in order for the priests to function, God established three qualifications; (1) the persons to mediate, (2) the garments that set them apart for mediation; and (3) personal preparations required for their ministry of mediation.

First, Aaron was from the tribe of Levi whom God claimed for Himself in the place of the first-born of the whole nation (Numbers 3:12).

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Even though sacrificial blood was offered at the Passover to prevent the death of Israel's firstborn sons, that atonement made every firstborn of both man and beast the Lord's property. By virtue of this fact, the priesthood was assigned to the family of Levi (Hebrews 5:1, 4).

Second, setting the priests apart for their function involved proper attire (Exodus 28:2-43). They were to wear holy garments, speaking of the sacredness of the duties that they performed (v. 4). These garments were of unique design and constructed of the same materials forming the ceilings and veils of the sanctuary--fine twined linen embroidered with gold thread and blue, scarlet and purple yarn. This identified them, literally, as part of the tabernacle.

Third, there were also required preparations to suit the priests to perform their duties (Hebrews 9:6). These preparations included sin offerings to cleanse the priests before they could appear before the Lord (Exodus 29:9-14; Hebrews 7:26, 27).

Three conditions qualified a priest for service: (1) his personal sins must be atoned for, (2) the stain of his sins must be purged by purification, and (3) the priest must be set apart unto God (sanctified or made holy) by both the Lord's action and the priest's conduct (Exodus 29, Leviticus 8).

The lesson in this is that Jesus Christ became the true mediator of the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:15). He also obtained priestly status for all who belong to Him (1 Peter 1:22, 23; 2:9, 10). Every believer is his own priest before God. This fact makes Romans 12:1, 2 very significant to real Christians. It also has an important bearing on one's understanding of 1 Corinthians 11:17-31. Read and consider these texts in light of your own life.

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